Atkins Nutritional Approach
The Atkins Nutritional Approach is the most popular and marketed low-carbohydrate diet in the world. It is commonly known as the Atkins diet or just Atkins. It was created by Dr. Robert Atkins in the 1960's, who used it to solve his own overweight condition. After treating over 10,000 patients with the diet, he released a series of books to popularise the diet, starting with Dr Atkins' Diet Revolution in 1972. He later on updated his own ideas in his new book Dr Atkins' New Diet Revolution, however, remaining faithful to his old concepts. Dr Atkins was also aware of alternative medicine views on the effects of Candidia Albicans overgrowth, and prescribed an anti-fungal variety of his diet in his book Dr Atkins' New Diet Revolution.
Nature of the diet
Dr Atkins claimed that there are two main factors common in western eating habits, firstly, that obesity is caused by eating refined carbohydrates such as sugar, flour, and high-fructose corn syrups. Secondly, that saturated fat is over hyped and that only avoiding hydrogenated oils with trans-fat need to be avoided. Dr Atkins was against the suggestions of the food pyramid and believed that over-eating of carbohydrates is the main cause of metabolism disorders. With most emphasis being on the diet, nutritional supplements and regular exercise are considered equally important elements.
Phases
The diet has 4 phases: Induction, Ongoing weight loss, Pre-maintenance, and Lifetime maintenance. However, it is not necessary to start with the induction phase, the diet may be started according to the required weight needed to be lost.
Induction
The induction phase is a, brief, jump-start phase that triggers the body to predominantly burn fats. The net carbohydrate intake is limited to 20 grams per day. It usually takes 48 hours to for the fat burning process to start. The induction phase typically lasts for 14 days.[1]
In this phase, all meats, and all non-starchy vegetables are allowed. Dairy products such as milk and yogurt are not allowed, however, cheese and butter are allowed (cheese limited). The primary source of carbohydrates is non-starchy vegetables.[2]
Ongoing weight loss
The Induction limit of 20 Net Carbohydrates a day is increased up to 25 Net Carbohydrates daily in Ongoing weight loss. Gradually the daily carbohydrates tally is increased, in 5-carbohydrate increments, until weight loss slows.[3]
Pre-maintenance
The carbohydrate content is increased by a notch, ideally 10 grams, and is generally done so as the goal weight approaches. The carbohydrate content can be increased as long as the fat burning process continues.[4]
Lifetime maintenance
The goal of this phase is to maintain weight. Typically, an average person limits his carbohydrate intake by 40 to 60 grams daily, and a person who exercises an average of 45 minutes a day limits his carbohydrate content to 90 grams of carbohydrates a day, when following this phase of the diet.[5]